Koto Matsuri
by Captain Creator
Summary: The story of young Koto Matsuri and his way to becoming a Samurai under the teachings of Lord Hyabashi. Koto has left everything behind to become a samurai but no one knows what his aspirations are. Time will fill us in!
1. Koto Matsuri

Koto Matsuri: Chapter 1

"Koto! Wait up!" yelled Natsumi from down the hall.  
"Huh? What do you want?" he said back with curious eyes.  
"well, I wanted to give you something, I know you're going to be gone for a long time so I thought I would give you something to remember me by." Natsumi said as she quickly developed soggy eyes.  
"Oh, how thoughtful of you Natsumi, what is it?"  
"It's not much but here, my grandfather gave it to me before he."She turned away for a second, "... passed away."  
"Your grandfather's sword! I can't accept this, this must mean a lot to you!" he said overwhelmed.  
"It means nothing sitting in our basement dyeing with time, I'd rather it be held and used with honor like my grandfather used to. "  
"Natsumi, you know there's a chance I may never come back, something May happen or well...you know."  
Koto looked to the ground as in regret for mentioning the factor of death.  
"Actually, with this sword comes a promise, the promise that you make it back to me!" She looked him dead in the eye and showed much concern.  
"Natsumi, you know my love will always bring me back to you."  
He put his hands around her waist and gently kissed her on the forehead and then he spoke softly into her ear "I promise."  
Natsumi turned the delicate gradient colors of a blooming cherry blossom as her heart seemed to set a blaze. Tears ran down her cheeks and met the crevices of her smile.  
"I love you Koto, Please be careful!"  
"I love you too, I'll be as careful as the guy who challenges me"  
Koto kissed Natsumi's forehead one last time, delivered his last smile and proceeded into Lord Hyabushi's tent.


	2. Lord Hyabashi

"MORE SAKE!" Hyabashi cheerfully calls out to the beautiful ladies sitting idle for his next command.

"coming my lord"

Hyabashi notices Koto walk into the tent

"YOU, What is it you want?"

Koto, startled by the spotlight got down on the floor and bowed.

"I want to be your disciple and study under your wing in the ways of the Samurai."

"why?" asked Hyabashi with an eyebrow raised.

"...why?" Koto repeated.

"I'm just baffled as to why you would want to give up everything you have from wealth to family in order to become a samurai when don't actually have to?"

"Aspirations sir, I want to better myself as an individual and a fighter. I want to be a stand alone resolution"

Koto stuck his chest out a little bit at the ending of his sentence.

"huh, Well, best answer I've heard all day...and only one actually. What's your name boy?"

"oh,My name is Koto Matsuri, I come from Takio city. I'm of 19 years old sir."

"It is nice to meet you Koto, As you know, My name is Akio Hyabashi. As of this moment forward, you are under my wing as a disciple. We start the path of the samurai tomorrow at sunrise in the barn east of town. Don't be late."

Koto face lit the entire tent up.

"Thank you very much sensei! I won't let you down!"

Koto turned away and headed home with a burning fire in his heart, He felt like a samurai already.

The rest of the night was spent with family and friend visitations and ended with Koto's final goodbye to everyone.


	3. Sunrise fragrance

Sunrise. Soft winds filter through the grass, spreading the seeds of the vibrant colored flowers. Sweet fragrances take hold of the town. Koto took in the last beautiful sights of the city as he marched towards the barn. He was scared, but the aroma of the town always put him at ease. He arrived at the barn to find the front doors wide open.

"Hello? Are you here sensei?"

He entered in chance that Lord Hyabashi couldn't hear him.

"Is anyone here?"

Three seconds flat, one step in and Koto was on the ground holding his head.

"….OW! What was that for?"

Lord Hyabashi stepped out from the concealment of the shadows.

"I did that for two reasons. Testing the development of your senses and because your too damn loud, I'm still nursing a hangover!"

Koto just let the second reason fly over his head while he puzzled what he meant by senses.

"Testing my senses? I was suppose to know you were going to bash me in the head with your hilt?

"Your senses:

Smell: The barn has an extra odor consisting of alcohol and bio…me

Sight: I left obvious foot prints

Hearing: the blade dragging along the edge of my sheath as I extended it.

Touch: the air in here is a little warmer that an non-vacant barn due to my body heat.

Taste: …want some sake?"

"….ehh OK, so I don't exactly rely on my senses, I don't usually need them at 5 am in the morning while entering a barn in my home town! Also, no, I don't drink."

Koto stood up and wobbled a bit as his equilibrium stabilized.

Hyabashi took the opportune moment to lunge at Koto with a face of complete terror.

"HYAAAAA"

Koto hit the floor as quickly as he had arose.

"WHAT WAS THAT FOR!"

"You've got a long way to go to be a samurai kid."

Koto stood up and took a couple steps back. When Hyabashi had lunged his way, he also brought along his overpowering spell.

"Koto, take this stick, I want you to do as I do."

Koto took the stick, questioning what he could get out of it.

"I want you to repeat what I am doing. This is a kendo Kata that will help refine your movements when wielding a sword. You are to memorize this, Got that?"

Koto began to do as told by repeating the Kata.  
There was an obvious difference between Sensei and Disciple .

Hyabashi's Kata was more graceful and very confident, in oppose to Koto's vicious no confident version.

"Koto, Practice this until I get back. Don't stop on any account, even if your arms weaken. Being fatigued does help your learn, So don't discharge that otherwise. I will be back later, I have some things to take care of before tomorrow."  
"Yes sensei, I won't stop!"

Lord Hyabashi walked to the door, looked back, opened his next bottle of sake, then walked off into the woods.


	4. Inner eyes

The night air gave relieving winds to the overheated Koto who stood by his word and kept that stick moving. The day seemed to pass as slowly as possible without time itself stopping in its tracks. Hyabashi hadn't returned yet. Koto has reasons to believe that he probably got drunk and can't find the barn… This amused Koto because it's hard to miss the tallest building in the town. A skill only a drunken Samurai might harbor.

"I wish he would have told me when to expect his return, I'm so exhausted. Not sure how much longer I can keep this up."'

A reasonable complaint anyone would make after 12 hours of swinging a 2lbs stick.

"I hope Hyabashi is a samurai that doesn't let sake get the best of him. Man, I really don't want a drunk for a teacher. My mother always told me to avoid people like there; said they were good for nothing, A lot like my father."

Koto realized his weary state by the fact he was talking to himself about issues that he could usually come to terms with in his head.

"I hate thinking about my father, that fool."

Koto started to feel the anger that shelved itself in his soul start to fuel the swings of the stick.

*WOOSH*

"You will pay for what you did to our family you son of a bitch!"

*WOOSH WOOSH*  
"I will fix all this mother; I will bring respect back to our family. I will fill in for that no good fool!"

Koto started to get a little light headed.

"I will…I will…"  
Koto collapsed into the hay that lay dormant on the ground

He had passed out from lack of food and weariness.

"He's got a lot of spirit and a good heart. I will honor his family and train him in the way to be a true samurai with pleasure." Said Hyabashi as he had been watching all 12 hours from a hole in the roof under the stars…drinking sake.

"Cheers to you Koto, We have a long journey ahead of us"

Hyabashi laid his head back and felt the grace of the moon enlighten his soul.


	5. Secret Destinations

The sun ascended over the hills that blanketed the town. The spring blossoms rose to the occasion with little smiles that made the town a brighter more serene place.  
Koto slowly started to make his way to full conscious as he immediately hated the suns optimistic start of the day.

He took a quick glance around almost in anticipation of his drunkard theory.

"As I figured, no sign of him anywhere."

Soon as the words left his lips

*SMACK*

Akio Hyabashi's sake bottle had slipped his hands and broke on Koto's head.

This brought about Koto's reaction to figure out where it came from.

"OUCH!...ohh it's only you….YOU! How long have you been there?"

"Zzz. Zzz. Zzz." Echoed back at Koto.

"I have no doubt in my mind that you were there the whole time…no way in hell you would of made it up there if you were drunk."

*Creek creek*

The thin boards that supported Hyabashi's body showed signs of giving out.

*CRACK*

With the face of complete terror, the prematurely woken drunk man had realized that he was on a down word spiral.

"HYABASHI, I GOT YOU"  
"NO BOY, MOVE!"

Koto didn't register the command quickly enough.

*POW*  
…the words registered with the aftermath

Hyabashi stood up and brushed himself off.

"Told you so"

"I WAS ONLY TRYING TO HELP!"

"Try helping someone your own size."

Hyabashi donned the rest of his effects, then stood by the barn door

"Time to go Koto, grab your things."

"Ye…yes sensei!"

Koto grabbed his things but with aches that reminded him that he'd been crushed by a 220lbs samurai.

They hit the path and left the city.

"Sensei, where are we going exactly?"

"Koto, I want you to always remember this. All journeys have secret destinations that the traveler is unaware of. We have a direction but our end result is unknown. Welcome to the life of a samurai Koto."

Koto felt relieved, confused, and worried all in one package.

"Yes sensei, I understand" Spoken in half lies.

They continued on down the path towards the cold mountains of kikyo.


	6. Heroics

The sun beat down on the two with vicious furry, the wind didn't stand a chance.  
Koto and Hyabashi entered the town of kyukino in attempt to evade the heat invasion.  
"Sensei, what are we doing here?"  
Koto asked as he acknowledged the calm quiet town.  
"We are here to earn our way to eating tonight"  
Koto dug into his pocket and pulled out a plenthra of currency.  
"Sensei, I can pay for us. No need for this extra work"  
Hyabashi looked at the coins with sarcasm.  
"Who gave you that? Did you work for it?"  
"My mother and girlfriend gave it to me for my journey, I didn't work for it. I don't have a job back home."  
Hyabashi took the currency and tossed it down the well.  
"If you didn't earn it, you don't deserve it."  
Koto nearly plunged himself into the well to retrieve his disgraced money.  
"But sensei! That was enough for a whole month!"  
"That money wasn't worth a minute of our time. Let's find work."  
The boy realized that fighting with his sensei is only going to increase the difficulty of this journey.  
Hyabashi walked into "nikuga daisuki."  
"Hello there! Welcome to Nikuga daisuki! We have a variety of meat for your everyday desire! We just got a shipment of rabbit in, what would you like sirs?"  
"Shop keeper, we would like to inquire about your work force. We need to earn our keep at an inn tonight and would like to work for you for the evening."  
"I…I…are…are you samurai?"  
"Yea!" answered Koto without so much as using a single brain cell.  
"Get out! GET OUT! DON'T COME BACK!"  
They were ushered back onto the street.  
"Sensei….what just happened…?"  
Hyabashi brushed the insult off his shoulders.  
"You just lost us a job, let's keep moving"  
Hyabashi and Koto proceeded into the market place in hope that a vendor was in distress.  
Hours were spent searching for any job that would pay even a single morsel.  
Nothing was looking promising.  
In the middle of the market, a young man at a vendor's booth pulled out a knife.  
"Listen here old man, giving me all your money; might just save your life… Make the choice."  
The man gave over his entire weekends funds.  
The young man laughed at the success and made a hastened retreat towards Hyabashi.  
Hyabashi turned swiftly to the side so that his sheath would throw Koto into the man.  
*CRASH*

the young man's knife slide underneath Hyabashi as Koto landed uncomfortably on top of the thief.  
"Hey! Give my knife back! GET OFF OF ME"  
"Hand over the money and we will let you on your way"  
Said Hyabashi with a grave tone.  
"You can't steal from me I'm a ..."  
"Stealer, we saw" interrupted Koto.  
Hyabashi slide two inches of his sword out of its sheath.  
"Fine, take it! I'll remember you though. One day I'll take my revenge."  
Koto relieved him of his entrapment. The young man handed the currency over to Hyabashi in a slow manner then took off running.  
"Koto, take this back to the vendor over there."  
Koto didn't realize that because of Hyabashi's push, it made Koto look like the hero.

"Here you go sir; we saved your money from that man"  
"Oh thank you so much my boy! Very heroic of you to throw yourself into a dangerous man like that."  
"Oh...but I … it was nothing sir"  
"You have kept my family from going poor, I must repay you! Here, take some of my money, It's the least I could do!"  
"Are you sure? Don't you need this?"  
"I can afford a little loss; your act alone has made me wealthy my boy. Thank you!"  
Koto bowed and walked back to Hyabashi

"Sensei, He paid me for the deed"  
"Welcome to being a samurai, let's go make rest"  
Koto and Hyabashi took refuge in the local Inn.  
Hyabashi utilized the sake service.  
The sun retired as the stars spackled like white paint on black canvas covered the sky.  
Zzz.


	7. Voice of the rising sun

Fog hung in the air during the early mornings for the towns surrounded by the mountains. The sun had a hard time breaching the peaks to bring the day to a start.

Koto awoke to the beautiful harmonic voice of a geisha singing on the lower level of the inn.  
Her son was a tribute to her deceased lover that died for the rising sun.  
The geisha's voice softly flowed throughout the building, providing emotional energy for everyone it captivated.  
The song was sad but overwhelmingly powerful.

Koto felt great sympathy for her.  
She made him think of his lover, Natsumi and how he left her back home.  
"Would she one day be the girl singing at a different city about me?"  
He took a deep breath and kept calm.  
"No, I'll return. I promised."

Hyabashi slid open the paper door.  
"Koto, I would like to further your training in sword fighting. Are you ready or should I leave you be for a while?"  
Koto stood up and grabbed Natsumi's sword.  
"I'm ready sensei."  
"Good, meet me downstairs out the back door."  
Koto took the first steps in that direction as Hyabashi detoured a different way.  
He stepped out the back door into an enclosed area covered in fresh cherry blossoms and surrounding tall trees. The fog decorated the area in a wet glossy touch.  
"Sensei, you here yet?"  
Hyabashi came from besides the building carrying a new sake bottle. Behind him followed the singing geisha holding a Shamisen.

"Koto, she will be playing for us. The more at peace you are, the better you will be able to control your actions both physically and mentally. Let her voice sedate your every instance of tense or strain."  
Koto took a series of deep breaths and let his bottom feel a wave of ease.  
The geisha took up the shamisen and played in correspondence to her soothing voice.  
Her current song was about how samurais are enamored with the bushido code and how it's making real men out of them.

"Ok koto, Swing at me with full force."  
Koto took up arms and took his turn at Hyabashi. He made sure to keep his body at peace.  
"Again, but this time keep your footing balanced"  
Koto tried his best but wasn't quite sure what qualifies as balanced in the field of footwork.  
He swung at Hyabashi once more but this time received different results.  
*Metal impact of sword on sword*  
*Push*  
*Thud*

Hyabashi blocked the blade coming for his dead with a vertical raised slant of his sword.  
While Koto's chest was exposed, Hyabashi hit him with a powerful palm strike to see if his footing was adequate and to show Koto why not to use such wide moves.

Koto stood back up, holding his chest together it seemed. However; not a single whimper passed through his mouth as he accepted this mistake.  
"Again!" Hyabashi demanded.  
Koto swung again. Hyabashi blocked the sword and attempted another palm strike to the chest.  
Koto threw his hip back which pulled his body in sequence out of harm's way. Hyabashi stumbled forward, leaving Koto's sword at his neck.  
"You learn fast," spoke almost shocked Hyabashi.  
"You're predictable," said cocky Koto. 

Hyabashi and Koto practiced all morning till Koto had not a muscle ready to start the day. The geisha had continued singing then entire time as if her passion was eternal. As eternal as the rising sun. As eternal as the lover she keeps alive.

Forever eternal.

3


	8. Yakuza Yan

The fog had lifted as the suns invasion was once again successful.  
The air had a sweet sensation that provided a sense of relaxation. Tranquility was stock.  
Koto and Hyabashi had trained for countless hours already. They went over various points in order to ensure that Koto turns out to be a good product of Hyabashi's school.  
Koto picked up on the teachings exceptionally well to the point that Hyabashi felt like the boy could of learned it on his own.  
As time ticked on, so did their fatigue. They decided that counting their money and heading to town for food would provide a good time to take in all that was practiced.

"Sensei, we are a little short for 2 bowls of rice."  
"You know what to do Koto." Replied the hungry man.  
"Fall on someone?"Koto said with a serious face.  
"No, no, no, go out and earn it!"  
Koto realized the humor of his answer and walked off laughing.  
-Market place-  
He made his rounds through the market looking for signs of desperation.  
A fish vendor showed these signs.  
"Hello there sir! Can I be of assistance to your booth?"  
"You came just in time! I need to deliver this shrimp package to the Yakuza boss Yan, but I can't walk away from this stand. It's almost lunch and I'm about to be swamped. Can you bring it to him in my stead?"  
"I can be of help!" Koto said feeling pretty good that he got a job on his first try.  
Koto took the packaged and walked to the gambling section of town where Yan usually spent his time.  
The shelter that housed the boss had a yakuza member standing guard out front.  
"What do you want?"  
"I'm here to deliver a shrimp package from a vendor in the marketplace."  
"Go on in, Lord Yan is in back with the masseur."  
Koto walked through and kept his eyes to himself in fear of harm via the other passing yakuza.

"E...eh... Excuse me, May I enter my lord?"  
The boss's face was buried into a masseur pillow to keep him from straining his neck.  
*muffled*  
"Yes, come in"  
Koto set down the shrimp box and made a bow.  
"Thank you boy, here, have some money for yourself."  
Koto's eye grew record size.  
"Thank you lord, this helps me out a lot!"  
Koto slowly traversed back to the main entrance.  
Once he was out, he made haste back to the vendor to confirm his success.  
The vendor was gone, empty booth.  
"So much for swamped. Oh well, I still got paid more than that guy probably could of even paid."  
Koto returned to Hyabashi to prove his capabilities of success in the world.


End file.
